Santiago de Cuba: Epicenter of peace”
Always with Cuba / ICAP
The province of Santiago de Cuba hosted the Regional Meeting for the Americas and the Caribbean of the World Peace Council, consolidating itself as a key point to promote peace in the region. This important meeting took place after two intense days of debate in the city of Guantánamo during the celebration of the VIII International Seminar for Peace and the Abolition of Foreign Military Bases.
Representatives of 12 pacifist organizations in the region participated in this meeting, with a total of 24 delegates, including 4 Cubans and 20 internationals from countries such as Argentina, Canada, the United States, Mexico, Nicaragua, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Barbados and Cuba. , the latter in his role as Coordinator of the World Peace Council (WPC) in the region. In addition, invited countries from other continents were present to commemorate the 75th Anniversary of the CMP and celebrate peace.
The historic event took place in the Stained Glass Hall of Plaza Antonio Maceo and began with the notes of the national anthem. An audiovisual about the massacre in Palestine was presented and the opening words were given by Niurka Bell Calzado, member of the Bureau of the Provincial Committee of the Party.
Fernando González Llort, president of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) and regional peace coordinator for the Americas and the Caribbean, presented the report of the meeting. In his speech, he highlighted that foreign military bases in Latin America and the Caribbean represent a threat to peace and sovereignty, being centers of espionage, intervention and control of resources. Peace movements promote solidarity and condemn the foreign military presence, expressing their firm stance on the matter. Furthermore, he reaffirmed that the economic blockade imposed by the US against Cuba violates international law and harms the Cuban people. “Cuba rejects accusations of terrorism and is firmly committed to peace and non-intervention,” said Fernando.
At the conclusion of the reading of the report, the executive secretary of the CMP, Iraklis Tsvadaris, spoke, addressing the new challenges facing the CMP in the region and globally.
Several delegates expressed their ideas during the meeting. Wevergton Brito Lima, of the Brazilian Peace Committee, highlighted the crucial role that the Brazilian social peace movement has played in the fight against imperialism and fascism. He recounted how pacifist organizations actively participated in the Frente Fuera Bolsonaro and called for protests against the extreme right, demonstrating their unwavering commitment to peace and justice. Luís Fidel Escalante from Puerto Rico read the message from the Puerto Rico Peace Committee, urging people to join the networks and spread peace and solidarity content.
Miguel Figueroa, from the World Peace Council of Canada, highlighted the growing movement against NATO and Canada’s membership in this organization. He mentioned actions such as the display of banners with the message “Canada out of NATO” on highways. The delegates also expressed their solidarity with the Haitian people in the face of a serious political and humanitarian crisis. Paola Gallo, co-president of the Movement for Peace, Sovereignty among Peoples (MOPASSOL) in Argentina, stressed the importance of supporting efforts to guarantee respect for human rights and denounced the fascist character of the Argentine government.
Delegates emphasized the importance of international cooperation to advance the peace agenda. David Dennis, of the Caribbean Movement for Peace and Integration, urged sharing resources and preparing for CMP activities.
Leonila Alma Mendoza, from the Nicaraguan Anti-imperialist Network of Solidarity with the Peoples “Augusto César Sandino”, highlighted the growing threat of US imperialism against Cuba and other sovereign countries. She highlighted the Nicaraguan government’s support for efforts against the blockade of Cuba and solidarity with its people.
Bahman Azad, president of the United States Peace Council, and Roger Harris emphasized the importance of lasting peace that includes justice and equality. Carlos Ron, president of the Simón Bolívar Institute and Vice President of Venezuela, highlighted the need to internationalize local struggles and warned about the emergence of “hyperimperialism” based on fascism and racist concepts. Carlos Ron called for maintaining a firm stance in the defense of peace zones, such as the Peace Zone of Latin America and the Caribbean, to promote regional stability.
At the meeting, Jorge Luna Ortega, of the Mexican Movement for Development and Peace (Mompade), highlighted that Mexican President Andrés Manuel López Obrador has demonstrated his commitment to peace by receiving the Aztec Eagle Medal on the anniversary of independence from Mexico, leaving aside the American military delegation. In addition, Mexico continues its policy of supporting the Treaty of Tlatelolco, which prohibits nuclear weapons on the American continent. Ortega also highlighted Mexico’s efforts to promote development in Central America and its recognition of the Sahrawi Arab Republic.
The vice president of ICAP, Víctor Gaute, read the proposal for the agreements of the Regional Meeting. Which was approved by the delegates and they included in the report the Final Declaration of the VIII Seminar on Peace and against Foreign Military Bases approved in Guantanamo.
A Framework Agreement of Friendship and Cooperation was also signed between the Simón Bolívar Institute for Peace and Solidarity among Peoples and the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples. During these signings, its presidents Fernando Gonzales Llort and Carlos Ron strengthened ties of friendship.
As part of the closing of the meeting, the delegates visited the Moncada Barracks and Plaza Antonio Maceo to pay tribute to the Cuban hero. The meeting was a milestone in promoting peace and solidarity in the region, reaffirming the commitment of the participants to a more just and peaceful world. (Alwaysconcuba/ ICAP)
World Peace Council met in Cuba
PhotosPL: Yugdanis Vicet Gómez
Santiago de Cuba, May 6 (Prensa-Latina) The regional meeting of the World Peace Council met today in this city, with the presence of its Executive Secretary, Iraklis Tsavdaridis, and the President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples ( ICAP), Fernando González.
The event began with a call for peaceful coexistence, for the cessation of the Israeli genocide against the Palestinian people, for nuclear disarmament and for the end of the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States on the people of Cuba.
Fernando González confirmed that Cuba does not and will never promote terrorism and called on pacifists and researchers to study and speak out regarding cyber warfare and against the United States campaign that seeks to show the largest of the Antilles as a country that sponsors terrorism. .
Iraklis Tsavdaridis called on the Latin American nations present at the meeting to evaluate the achievements of the Cuban social project that they were able to perceive during the activities carried out in Havana, at the International Seminar for Peace and the Abolition of Foreign Bases in Guantánamo and on the tours by Santiago de Cuba.
During the Regional Meeting of the Americas, representatives of pacifist organizations from the United States, Mexico, Venezuela, Nicaragua, Argentina, Brazil, Puerto Rico, Barbado and Cuba participated; Other nations such as Cyprus, Australia, Norway and Sweden also had space.
In the conclusions, Iraklis Tsavdaridis expressed the need for the leaders of national pacifist organizations to work for the continuity of activism in their countries and ensure the renewal of social movements in opposition to the attempt at capitalist recolonization in Latin America.
The session coincided with the 75th anniversary of the World Peace Council on May 6, 1949 and Niurka Bell, Member of the Executive Bureau of the Provincial Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba, and Juan Carlos Vaillant, ICAP delegate, were present.
Friendship between Cuba and Venezuela strengthened (+Photos)
Santiago de Cuba, May 6 (Prensa Latina) The Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP) and its counterpart from the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela, Simón Bolívar for peace and solidarity among peoples, established today a mutual cooperation agreement .
Fernando González, president of ICAP and Carlos Ron, highest figure of the Venezuelan institution, signed the document that strengthens the friendship between the two nations that promote the Bolivarian Alternative for the Americas (ALBA-TCP).
Carlos Ron told Prensa Latina that both instructions were born under the spirit of carrying solidarity as the main flag of internationalism, an extremely important principle in the face of so many challenges imposed by imperialism.
He also expressed that the cooperation mechanism will facilitate carrying out joint actions, not only beneficial for both countries, but also to show the solidarity of Cuba and Venezuela towards the rest of the world.
The signing of the agreement between ICAP and the Simón Bolívar Institute for peace and solidarity among peoples took place in the context of the activities for the 75th anniversary of the World Peace Council.
